There are a few things that give us the chills when it comes to makeup. Panda eyes are a girls’ worst friend, inverted ‘Nike eyebrows’ always make us squeak and of course, the classic smudged lipstick.

When lipstick goes beyond the lip and starts to make your makeup look less than stellar, it is never a good look. So how do you get rid of this makeup hazard?

Simply follow our simple 5 step guide and you will be a-okay fabulous.

1. Prepare your lips: Most of us think this is just something we say to make you think makeup is more than it is. But in reality it is very important. Applying makeup when your lips are dry and chapped is never going to give you that awesome lip that you envisioned when you bought that RiRi Woo. So, instead of just applying and hoping it turns out great; you can bring out the best in it. Simply use a toothbrush to brush over your lips to get rid of the excess skin on the lips and try a sugar scrub once a week to keep your skin nice and soft. Tip: Instead of adding “Brush lip with toothbrush” to your to-do list, simply add it to your routine while brushing. This way your lips stay as fresh as your breath.

2. Keep your lips moisturized: We cannot stress how important this is. You cannot in any way have smudge-proof lipstick if you don’t adhere to this rule. Try using a lip balm on days you don’t have colour on. We recommend the EOS Lip balm {It tastes weird, but you will love the results}. This way you are giving your lips a lot of love and attention every day. And when it is time for the lipstick application, simply blot off the excess lip balm or apply loose powder to your lips so the lipstick has something to grip/ hold on to.

3. Always use the Index Finger trick: This is a very handy trick if you always end up with lipstick stains on your teeth. And it’s very simple. After you have applied your lipstick, take your index finger (or any finger really) and put it in your mouth then wrap your lips around it. Then pull the finger out. Voila! It takes away all the excess lipstick that could stain your teeth later.

4. Blot, blot, blot: This is especially handy when you’ve gotten on the wrong side of the sun, especially with really glossy lipsticks. Simply apply one coat and then place a blotting paper over the coat and apply some loose powder over it. Be sure to use an invisible powder so your lipstick does not look dirty in the process. After this, you can choose to apply another coat for intensity, but remember to blot after wards.

5. Use a lip pencil or concealer: This is a special trick that you definitely need. Now, most gals would rather not use a lip pencil, so we have got the next best thing. Instead of using a lip pencil you can use a concealer and lip brush. Simply apply the lipstick as you wish, then take a little concealer and using the lip brush, trace the corners of your lip. This works the same way as using concealer for your eyebrows. It is meant to clean the edges and helps keep your lipstick from running onto your face. There you have it. 5 awesomely fab steps that can hep you say goodbye to smudged lipstick permanently. Have some tips we didn’t share? Come on and share them with us.

Photo Credit: ThatIgboChick